Digital Commons Network^™

Intervention For Treating Sarcopenia Among Older Residents In A Skilled Nursing Facility, David A. Hernandez, Susan E. Hueck, Donna-Marie Phyllis Lanton

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

The incidence of sarcopenia, a geriatric syndrome characterized by the progressive and generalized loss of muscle quantity or quality, increases with age and is associated with adverse health and quality of life outcomes. A 12-week strength training intervention program (STIP) was designed to improve measures of muscle mass, muscle strength, physical performance, and quality of life in elderly patients with sarcopenia. Data were collected on these measures at 4-week intervals over 12 weeks. Results showed that the STIP was an effective intervention for reducing the characteristics associated with sarcopenia. Significant gains were made in muscle mass, grip strength, balance, gait …

Unmasking Structural Racism In U.S. Medical Education: Advancing Equity For Underrepresented Medical Students, Daryl O. Traylor, Eboni E. Anderson, Destiney Kirby, Asia Nichole Hodges, Brianna Clark, Stephen Sinatra Jr.

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

The COVID pandemic cast a harsh light on the structural and systemic health inequalities that exist in American society and in U.S. medical education. Black and Brown communities were disproportionately affected, and the pandemic highlighted the need for a diverse physician and healthcare workforce. Both the lack of equitable, high-quality healthcare in underrepresented communities and the obstacles that students who are underrepresented in medicine (URiM) experience in medical school are direct consequences of the structural racism that flourishes in U.S. medical schools and healthcare institutions. In this article, we explain structural racism and how it has manifested itself in medical …

So Much New To Learn And So Much Unknown: Novice Teachers’ Experiences During Covid-19, Angela W. Webb, Jennifer J. Baumgartner

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

To support novice teachers, we need to listen to and honor their experiences in the classroom. This is true during the best of times and especially true amid the tumultuous teaching and learning experiences brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. In this paper, we discuss emergent themes from interviews with student teachers and early career teachers in spring 2021 about their experiences with the transition to virtual or remote teaching in response to COVID-19. We explore how student teachers and early career teachers experienced the stress of pandemic teaching, what they found supportive, and how their experiences can inform care-full …

The Sunnyside Movement Towards Mental Health Prevention And Resiliency, Eva Williams

Selected Social Change Portfolios in Prevention, Intervention, and Consultation

Goal Statement: To increase Mental Health awareness and resources among adults with untreated mental disorders in the Sunnyside community (Understanding Houston, 2023).

Significant Findings: 18,6004 residents reside in Sunnyside. Nearly half (48%) were between 20 and 64 years of age, 18% were 65 or older, and many out of this group have untreated mental disorders or have been hospitalized for mental health symptoms (Sunnyside Survey Shows Neighborhood's Social Fabric Is Strong, 2019). These findings include the LGBTQ community, which accounts for about 40% of people who reported experiencing mental illness in the last year (Kolanek, 2020). The target problem in …

Human Trafficking In Orlando, Florida, Danielle Cador

Selected Social Change Portfolios in Prevention, Intervention, and Consultation

Goal Statement: My goal for my social change portfolio is to bring heightened awareness to my community through proper training, education, and community involvement to increase the prevention of human trafficking in Orlando, Florida.

Significant Findings: Human Trafficking has become a $150 billion industry globally (Toney-Butler et al., 2023). It has become a type of pandemic that either no one seems to be talking about or gets overlooked. Florida is listed as one (1) of the top three (3) states following California and New York where human trafficking is prevalent (Human Trafficking Hotline, 2021). Women and young girls typically come …

Increasing Organizational Value Of A Private Healthcare Education Academy, Diana Skaff

Frank Dilley Award for Outstanding Doctoral Study

Amid the dynamic changes and innovations of the healthcare field, healthcare providers seek educational activities that enhance their growth and decrease their knowledge gap. Healthcare education organizations responsible for providing high-quality healthcare education, have opportunities to differentiate their programs to acquire, attract, activate, and retain healthcare providers. Grounded in the five forces of competition and the value chain theories, this mixed method formative program evaluation aimed to improve the business development program by developing a differentiation by quality strategy that will increase its competitive advantage. Participants included three decision makers and nine leaders in a healthcare education organization in the …

Severe Housing Problems In Santa Clara County, Ca, Jessican Rothwell

Selected Social Change Portfolios in Prevention, Intervention, and Consultation

Goal Statement: My goal for social change within the community is to prevent severe housing problems by educating individuals and families of low and middle-income levels on available home environment assessments and housing rehabilitation programs.

Significant Findings: Severe housing problems plague numerous mid and low-income households in Santa Clara County, leaving them vulnerable to significant physical and mental health problems. This social change portfolio discusses the scope and consequences of severe housing problems as well as potential risk and protective factors at the individual, relationship, community, and societal levels through a socio-ecological lens. In addition, this portfolio addresses two theories …

Preventing Burnout Among Mental Health Professionals In Charlotte, Nc, Robert Marcy

Selected Social Change Portfolios in Prevention, Intervention, and Consultation

Goal Statement: The goal of this social change project is to find ways of preventing burnout among mental health professionals in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Significant Findings: Burnout among mental health professionals is a critical issue for which prevention strategies can be highly effective. Charlotte, North Carolina, is one of the country’s fastest-growing cities, with demand for services, including those provided by mental health professionals, increasing with the growing population. Charlotte’s population growth, coupled with the lingering impacts of COVID-19, places Charlotte’s mental health professionals at increased burnout risk. Burnout among mental health professionals negatively impacts the individual and the clients …

The Impact Of Gun Violence On African American Adolescents In Baltimore City, Maryland, Valerie Taylor

Selected Social Change Portfolios in Prevention, Intervention, and Consultation

Goal Statement: The aim of this social change portfolio is to prevent gun violence in African American males in Baltimore City, Maryland, through increasing awareness in schools and communities.

Significant Findings: African American males are perpetrators and victims of gun violence at a substantially high rate in Baltimore City, MD. They are disproportionately affected in socioeconomically disadvantaged communities” (Shulman et al., 2021). According to County Health Rankings & Roadmaps (2018), data from 2016 to 2020 revealed 44 firearm-related deaths per 100,000 people in Baltimore City, Maryland, compared to 12 people per 100,000 in the whole state of Maryland and 12 …

Prevention, Mental Health Risk, Lgbtq+ Youth And Young Adults, Jackson County, Indiana, Darrian S. Jamison

Selected Social Change Portfolios in Prevention, Intervention, and Consultation

Goal Statement: Acknowledge and highlight the increased mental health risks for LGBTQ+ youth and young adults while working to implement prevention efforts to mitigate, and eventually eliminate the increased risks for this population.

Significant Findings: The LGBTQ+ youth and young adult population faces many challenges throughout their daily lives. One such challenge plaguing the community is their increased risk for mental health concerns compared to their heterosexual, cisgender counterparts (The Trevor Project, n.d.; Marlay et al., 2022). In the rural Jackson County, Indiana community, very few prevention and treatment efforts are implemented to serve this community. It is worth noting …

Prevention Of Adult Obesity Through Targeting Adolescents With Counseling Educational Groups Combining Nutrition, Mindfulness, Self-Esteem, And Healthy Living, Kerri Shoumaker

Selected Social Change Portfolios in Prevention, Intervention, and Consultation

Goal Statement: The goal of this portfolio aims to prevent adult obesity through the immersion of counseling educational groups targeting adolescents within the communities of Kitsap County.

Significant Findings: Kitsap County, Washington, has an adult population of 214,142 people (United States Department of Commerce, 2022). Approximately 30% are obese, which is 2% higher than Washington state (CDC, n.d.-b). Obesity increases the risk factor for severe diseases, including depression, and is a major risk factor for premature death (Bergantin, 2020). Mitigating risk factors through bolstering protective factors is essential for obesity prevention at multiple levels of the Social-Ecological Model. Social Cognitive …

Preventing Psychiatric Hospitalizations In Sangamon County, Illinois, Rachel E. Rambach

Selected Social Change Portfolios in Prevention, Intervention, and Consultation

Goal Statement: The goal of my Social Change Portfolio is to prevent increased psychiatric hospitalizations by reducing the stigma associated with mental health through education, awareness, and resources.

Significant Findings: Sangamon County ranks in the worst 25% of Illinois counties in terms of hospitalizations due to mental health in people 18 years and older (Springfield Memorial Hospital, 2021). There were 7,483 preventable hospitalizations among Black people recorded in 2020, compared with 3,696 white people (County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, 2018). The social-ecological model shows the tremendous impact that individual relationships, community and society have on the issue of psychiatric hospitalizations, …

Addiction Prevention In Itasca County, Minnesota, Amanda Keech

Selected Social Change Portfolios in Prevention, Intervention, and Consultation

Goal Statement: The purpose and goal of this portfolio is to raise awareness regarding alcohol consumption by highlighting influential factors and prevention techniques in order to decrease excessive drinking rates for adults residing in Itasca County.

Significant Findings: Excessive drinking is present in 23% of the population in Itasca County (County Health Ranking & Roadmaps, 2018). Excessive alcohol consumption is a growing public health issue resulting from multiple systemic, cultural, governmental, and individual risk factors that are present within the rural community. Individual risk factors include food insecurity, poverty, housing instability, a family history, trauma, medical issues, and the presence …

Suicide Awareness And Prevention With Montana (Three Forks) Youth, Joshua Jarvis

Selected Social Change Portfolios in Prevention, Intervention, and Consultation

Goal Statement: Lower the number of suicide attempts or completions with Montana (Three Forks) youth.

Significant Findings: The rate of suicide has increased dramatically over the last 30 years, and the rate for suicide for those between the ages of 5-14 have increased at least 60% since 1981 (Rosston, 2022). The population for this social change portfolio is Montana youth and the problem is suicide attempts and completions. Not all groups of youth are equally at risk for suicide, with Native Americans and the LGBTQ+ population facing a much higher risk of suicide attempts and completions (Rosston, 2022). The consequences …

Sex Trafficking In Reno, Nevada, Makayla Terelak

Selected Social Change Portfolios in Prevention, Intervention, and Consultation

Goal Statement: The aim of this social change is to prevent the frequency of sex trafficking in the Reno/Sparks area through strengthened awareness and advocacy.

Significant Findings: Sex trafficking is defined by forced labor of sexual acts, and is typically done through force, fraud, and coercion (Harmon, 2022). The victims of this crime are often vulnerable populations like children and young women. It is estimated that 25 million people in the world were victims of human trafficking (Harmon, 2022). In Reno, Nevada it is a huge hub for sex trafficking. This can change with more border controls and awareness throughout …

Harmful Consequences Of Vaping Among Adolescents, Eva Uhlianitsa

Selected Social Change Portfolios in Prevention, Intervention, and Consultation

Goal Statement: Raise awareness of e–cigarettes use and harmful consequences, as well as make media campaigns promoting a variety of positive identities not associated with vaping.

Significant Findings: Adolescence in the US abusing e-cigarette products that lead to significant health problems. Those are respiratory, digestive issues, and brain development complications (Grimm, 2022). The LGBTQ + youth population is at higher risk of developing vaping addiction due to stigma, rejection, physical abuse, and bullying (Kelleher, 2009). Implementing Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) and Stages of Change theories can increase the chances of preventing substance use (National Cancer Institute, 2005).

Objectives/Strategies/Interventions/Next Steps:

1. …

Depression And Anxiety Among Lgbtqia+ Teens In Salt Lake City, Utah, Brittany Bullen

Selected Social Change Portfolios in Prevention, Intervention, and Consultation

Goal Statement: If we can create better programming to support LGBTQIA+ teens in Utah, we can decrease the suicide rate and the rates of depression and anxiety in this population.

Significant Findings:

Due to the unusually high rate of suicide among LGBTQIA+ teens in Utah (The Trevor Project, 2022), there is clearly a need for improvement in the quality and availability of programming that supports that population. Because teens go through so much emotional upheaval during their transition to adulthood (MacMillan & Copher, 2005), they are particularly vulnerable to the discrimination many of them face when exploring their sexuality. Keeping …

Combat Veteran Mental Health Care Advocacy, Gerald Graham

Selected Social Change Portfolios in Prevention, Intervention, and Consultation

Goal: The goal of Combat Veteran Mental Health Care Advocacy is to promote, support and draw attention to critical combat veteran mental health issues, such as PTSD, depression and substance abuse, where the real and actual consequence may lead to suicide.

Significant Findings: Presently, there are about 18 million living veterans (Inoue et al., 2023; Vespa, 2020), of which approximately 7.7 million served between 1990 and the present; roughly 42 percent of the total (Vespa, 2020). Wounded Warrior Project (2022) reported that these combat veterans face significant mental health issues such as sleep deprivation, PTSD, anxiety, and depression. …

Smashing The Stigma: Promoting Mental Health And Resilience Among Veterans, Anna Wagle

Selected Social Change Portfolios in Prevention, Intervention, and Consultation

Goal Statement: This portfolio aims to bring awareness and identify strategies and interventions to reduce veteran suicide rates by starting with the problem's source.

Significant Findings: This portfolio focuses on the high rate of U.S. veteran suicide, with 16.8 suicides per day and 51% more likely to die by suicide than non-veterans ("National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report," 2022; Vincent-Roller, 2022). Key findings highlight the complexity of suicide risk across various levels. The portfolio recommends enhancing mental health services, destigmatizing mental health, strengthening social support, and providing tailored interventions like peer support and trauma-informed care for transitioning veterans (Hester, 2017; …

The Continuing Influence Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Tertiary Education, Gary J. Burkholder, Erwin Krauskopf

Higher Learning Research Communications

We are pleased to publish the first regular issue (Volume 13, Issue 1) of Higher Learning Research Communications (HLRC) for 2023. While the World Health Organization and the governments and health departments in most of the world have ended the COVID-19 emergency, the effects of the pandemic on operations in higher education will likely continue for some time. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) published a report (Abdrasheva, 2022) that globally examines the state of higher education two years after the pandemic began. The authors noted that in the area of teaching and learning, “slow adaptation to …

Urban American Indian Experiences Living With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Elin E. Kambuga, Yitza A. Arcelay-Rojas

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

This qualitative interpretive study aimed to describe the experiences of 13 American Indians living in urban settings and their use of traditional healing and biomedical health services for type 2 diabetes. Urban American Indian adults living in the United States who used traditional healing and biomedical health services for type 2 diabetes were recruited for the study through purposive sampling, including snowball sampling. Thirteen participants completed semi-structured interviews. Participants reported positive experiences and barriers to traditional healing and Western biomedical services. They also discussed feelings of disorientation when diagnosed at a young age with type 2 diabetes but self-empowerment as …

Gender Roles, Sexual Cognitions, And History Of Victimization: A Preliminary Model Of Reporting Behavior Among College Students, Randi Spiker, Eu Gene Chin

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

Sexual cognitions that flow from gender roles and previous history of victimization are strong predictors of sexual assault victimization. Because these cognitions reside within the individual themselves, we hypothesized that these same cognitions will also be predictors of subsequent reporting behavior to formal campus supports. An online self-report survey for assessing student awareness and perception of sexual safety was administered in a random stratified sample of college students (N = 98; 78% female). Participants were shown a hypothetical vignette involving a quid pro quo sexual harassment incident involving a student and were asked to rate their likelihood of making …

Teacher Preparedness And Implementation Of The National Pre-Tertiary Education Curriculum Framework In Ghana, Simon Ntumi, Sheilla Agbenyo, Alex Tetteh, Clarke Ebow Yalley, Abraham Yeboah, Daniel Gyapong Nimo

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Curriculum reform is a significant approach to prepare schools to be effective in meeting contemporary societal needs and imperatives. Several countries around the world, therefore, engage in curriculum reform to enable schools to prepare children with the knowledge, skills, and competencies needed in the present and future society, but implementing change following a curriculum reform is often complex. In our study, we sought to understand how teachers respond to curriculum implementation following the introduction of the national pre-tertiary education curriculum framework (NPECF) in Ghana. We employed a concurrent, nested, mixed-design strategy (embedded design) using a sample of 352 randomly selected …

Understanding Cultural Perceptions Of Health In Middle School Females For Obesity Prevention: A Case Study, Tien Vo, Egenia Dorsan, J. Mitchell Vaterlaus, Lori A. Spruance

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

The purpose of this study was to understand acculturation and race/ethnicity influences in the home and school environment that affect physical activity and nutrition in female adolescents attending middle school. A convenience sample of eight female adolescents (n = 2 Asian American, n = 2 Black, n =2 Latinx/Hispanic, and n = 2 White) was interviewed individually via Zoom. Responses regarding acculturation, physical activity, and nutrition in the home and school environment were analyzed using qualitative case study analysis. Three themes were identified: 1) experiences related to home, health, and culture, 2) the intersection between school meals and personal …

Drawing On The Locus Of Control Framework To Explore The Role Of School Leaders In Teacher Well-Being., Inga Venema-Steen, Anne Southall, Anna Bortoli

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

This scoping review explores the role of school leadership in the improvement of teacher well-being by utilizing the Locus of Control (LOC) Framework identified by psychologist Julian Rotter in 1954. The internal and external environments impacting teacher well-being were explored, and the specific responsibilities of school leadership were identified. The literature reports that while teachers are responsible for many aspects of their well-being, school leaders can improve a teacher’s mental health and create a positive school culture by taking responsibility for factors external to the teacher’s LOC. This paper outlines school leadership responsibilities in actively implementing strategies to improve staff …

Factors Associated With Postpartum Care During The Fourth Stage Of Labor In Nepal: A Hospital-Based Cross-Sectional Study, Ashok Kumar Paudel, Muni Raj Chhetri, Ambika Baniya, Mamta Chhetri, Aafrin Gurung

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

Postnatal care is an important part of maternal and neonatal care, and life-threatening complications can occur during the postpartum period. Empirical information on the level of postpartum care services is generally scarce in Nepal. Key elements of postpartum care during the fourth stage of labor include providing proper nutrition, promoting breastfeeding, and helping the mother manage any physical discomforts or challenges that may arise. This study investigated the level of postpartum care services delivered during the fourth stage of labor in a tertiary-level hospital in the Chitwan district of Nepal. A descriptive cross-sectional hospital-based study was conducted among 148 women …

Scholars From Underrepresented Groups In Engineering And The Social Sciences (Surge) Capacity In Disasters: The Benefits And Challenges Of Mentoring For Racial And Ethnic Minority Graduate Students, Melissa Villarreal, Nnenia Campbell

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the mentoring program of the Minority Scholars from Under-Represented Groups in Engineering and the Social Sciences (SURGE) Capacity in Disasters initiative, a pilot program that aimed to address the challenges that graduate students of color face in academic programs. SURGE promotes mentoring and professional development through its mentoring program for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) students.

Methods: Data collection involved distributing online surveys designed in Qualtrics to mentors and mentees five months after the SURGE program’s initiation. Separate surveys were created for student mentees and faculty mentors in order to …

Teachers’ Perspectives In Higher Education On Using Educational Technology During The Covid-19 Pandemic: Observations For Ghana, India, And Serbia, Nikola Koruga, Rohit Nainwal, Angela Kyerewaa Ayisi-Addo

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objective: The purpose of this research was to understand the significant changes and challenges regarding teaching experiences during the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis in three universities, one each in Africa, Asia, and Europe. The study provides information on how teachers adapted to online teaching under COVID-19 conditions.

Methods: We employed a descriptive phenomenology approach and used an online survey with open-ended questions to collect the data. Braun and Clarke’s six steps of thematic analysis based on the traditions of descriptive phenomenology were employed to analyze the data.

Results: The teachers’ adaptive mechanisms to the COVID-19 crisis could be described through the …

The Association Of Participation In A Summer Prelaw Training Program And First-Year Law School Students’ Grades, Heather M. Buzick, Christopher Robertson, Jessica D. Findley, Heidi Legg Burross, Matthew Charles, David M. Klieger

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

This study estimates the association of participation in a nine-week online educational program to prepare students for post-graduate (juris doctorate) education and law school grades. We collected registrar data from 17 U.S. law schools for participants and non-participants from the same year and a prior year. We compared first-semester law school grades between participating and non-participating students weighted by propensity scores. Course participation was associated with improved first-semester grades in a keyed course (Contracts Law) and overall grade point average. According to pre- and post-survey responses, a substantial portion of those who completed the program reported feeling more prepared for …

Recovery Journey Of Diverse Populations Using Design Thinking Method: Recommendations For Practitioners And Policymakers, Lawrence Bryant, Monica Nandan, Sherrie Cade, Bianca Anderson

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

Through a state grant-funded multicultural needs assessment, researchers from a U.S. southeastern state university captured the voices of underserved populations related to their unmet needs and recovery journey from the non-medical use of opioids and other substances. Specific voices of African Americans, Latinx, mature adults, veterans, people who are homeless, college students, and individuals within the lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer (LGBTQ+) communities were captured utilizing design thinking protocol in focus groups. Participants recommended that providers be culturally responsive in disseminating information and providing affirming care. Moreover, participants felt that counselors and other professionals should be more empathetic and …